This Moment
by repmetsyrrah
Summary: Sybil/Branson 100-word drabbles. All Sybil lives 3x05 AUs. Ten: Tom sets Robert straight on an important matter. Eleven: Mrs Hughes has a warning for the new maid. Twelve: "We'll be alright, won't we?" he asks softly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Decided to write a series of AU 100 word fics in which our darling Sybil lives and her a Tom have the life they deserve. Not sure how well these will work as compared to my canon drabbles in _Her Own Way_ but thought I'd give it a go. Let me know if I should try more.

I made a GIFset on Tumblr to go with this first one, there's a link to it on my profile page.

**This Moment**

* * *

He doesn't notice when she finds them, exactly where she knew he'd be.

She leans against the garage door with a smile and simply watches them.

She can't blame him for being so utterly mesmerised by the small, perfect child in his arms.

_Their_ child.

It doesn't matter there's still so much to do, that he's struggling to find a job, that her father still hasn't accepted him, that her family hates that she's working again, that they're still forced to live at Downton.

In just this moment, back where it all began, everything is finally as it should be.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Written for a prompt via shana-rosee on Tumblr.

**Catholic**

* * *

"Now that Sybil's recovered we ought to think about the christening," Edith says on the first night Sybil rejoins them for dinner.

"Yes," Robert agrees, "we can talk to Travis tomorrow."

"Why Mr. Travis?" Tom asks, though he knows.

"To set a date."

"But Saoirse will be Catholic," Tom informs him.

"What?"

"We've already decided we want her to be Catholic," he repeats.

"You can't be serious," Robert scoffs, "there hasn't been a Catholic Crawley since the reformation."

"She's not a Crawley, Papa. She's a Branson," Sybil reminds him firmly and Tom falls in love with her all over again.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Takes place during 3x08.

**Defeat**

* * *

"It's not that I won't play," Tom told them yet again, "I _can't_ play, I don't know how."

"Perhaps Matthew could teach you?" Sybil suggested, with an innocent smile.

"Of course I can," Matthew agreed, with what Tom felt to be an ominous amount of enthusiasm, "it'll be fun!"

"There," Sybil said, "no reason not to now."

The entire table looked at him expectantly.

"For god's sake," Tom sighed, knowing his wife would win eventually, and he knew it was better etiquette to resign than continue to his inevitable defeat.

"If it means that much to you, Sybil," he conceded.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Takes place during 3x08.

**Support**

* * *

"Elbow up," Matthew instructed as Tom missed _again_.

Tom sighed, throwing the ball back and shaking his head at the sounds under the nearby tree.

"No need to laugh every time," he told the three women in the shade.

"You are getting better," Sybil assured him.

Mary hid her smile under the guise of checking the baby in Edith's arms.

Matthew looked amused but refrained from comment as he bowled again.

Tom felt a rush of accomplishment as his bat _finally_ made contact. He grinned even wider at the new sounds from the shade.

At least they cheered loudly too.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Kind of M rated. Takes place during 3x08. I had this idea in my head for a bit then doubtandabbey posted an S/B 'anywhere but a bed' challenge on Tumblr so I kinda had to write it then.

**At The Match**

* * *

It was _not_ Sybil's fault.

It was that cricket outfit.

It was the hot day that made him roll up his sleeves and expose his arms.

It was the empty storage shed with that shelf at just the right height.

"Oh, _God_."

"It's 'Tom' actually," he laughed, low and amused, moving infuriatingly and deliciously slowly inside her.

It had been too long and Sybil felt herself unravelling quickly, Tom too, catching her cry with his mouth.

The sound of clapping from the nearby pitch brought them back to reality.

"We should-"

Sybil silenced him with another kiss. "Tonight," she promised.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** For ilovethebransons on Tumblr, who requested: _Glasses, since I'm on an Allen Leech with glasses_ _high_- see my profile for a link to the pic. And it's not explicitly referenced but I imagine this about 10 years after S3 so it is 3x05 AU.

**Glasses**

* * *

"I look ridiculous," Tom sighed, examining his newly bespectacled face in the mirror.

"Not as ridiculous as you looked holding that newspaper at arm's length all through breakfast," Sybil said, the amusement clear in her voice.

Tom frowned at his wife. "It's not funny."

"No," Sybil agreed, standing up and coming towards him with a _very_ familiar glint in her eyes. "Actually, _funny_ is not the word I'd use..."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Really? Glasses?"

"Really," Sybil purred, kissing him firmly before grinning wickedly. "Now. Leave them on. But everything else: _off_."

And who was he to argue with that?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** I wasn't sure about posting this here as it was written to go with a GIFset I posted on Tumblr but in the end I decided it would be okay here. There's a link to the GIFset on my profile page though, and I highly suggest you read it with that.

Anyway, this is set during the CS, in the dining room before Edna comes in to take Saoirse upstairs.

**Dinner**

* * *

"You'll spoil her, you know. She'll expect dinner in here every night."

Tom just smiles, bouncing their daughter on his hip. "Can't a man simply enjoy a good meal with the two most beautiful girls in the world?"

"You think flattery will get you everywhere, don't you, Mr. Branson?"

"It got me you." He grins and she's missed him like this, relaxed and confident.

With her father in Scotland he's himself again, and it's been far too long.

"I'm glad we stayed," Sybil says suddenly.

He leans over and kisses her, right there in the dining room.

"Me too, love."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Set after 3x08. More bro-y than S/B but I hope you like it.

**Wages**

* * *

He debates whether or not to say anything but in the end, curiosity wins out.

"Tom?" Matthew asks, finding him in the library, bent over a farming report. "Can I ask you something?"

Tom nods.

"It's just, I've been reviewing the old staff wage records…"

He pauses, Tom looks up but doesn't stop him.

"In 1917 there's a deduction from your wages with a note simply saying 'soup tureen' and-"

He jumps as Tom's head thumps on the desk in front of him.

"Don't. Ask."

(It takes three weeks to get the full story from Sybil but it's worth it.)


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Inspired by a photo manip on Tumblr, link on my profile. takes place during 3x08, sometime after chapter two of this fic.

**Help**

* * *

"You must be gentle," Cora sighs, "this new world is almost too much for Robert sometimes."

Tom frowns. "I still don't feel that gives him a say in how we raise _our_ child."

Sybil smiles softly, placing a hand on his arm and the frown eases slightly.

"We are grateful for all you've done," Tom tells her, covering Sybil's hand with his own, "Truly."

"But we think we need your help," Sybil continues, "to ease Papa into this."

"I'll try," Cora promises them, "because he does love her, you know. He always will, no matter which church she's christened in."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** because the last thing I posted was sad, have an AU. Set during 3x06.

**Suggestion**

"I still do not think it would help the baby to be baptised into a different tribe from this one."

"Her name is Saoirse, Papa." Sybil frowns.

"Well I still don't understand how you think this is an argument."

Everyone turns in surprise, only one having heard the Irishman speak so confidently before.

"What do you mean?"

"An argument implies you have a say," Tom explains. "We've never _suggested _christening Saoirse Catholic. We're only telling you it _will_ happen."

Robert is stunned into silence. He glances around for support but no one meets his gaze.

Except his youngest, who smiles.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Another fic that really works much better with a GIFset I made. Link on my profile page. Takes place during the Christmas Special.

**Jobs**

* * *

"Why aren't Lady Sybil and Mr. Branson going with the others?"

"They didn't want to leave Miss Branson alone. She's too young for the journey."

"I wonder what Lady Flintshire made of it all?"

"It's not your place to wonder," Mrs Hughes reminded her sternly.

Edna didn't seem to hear, or care, glancing again at the picture. "He's certainly got a much better job out of it hasn't he?"

Mrs Hughes frowned. "Perhaps, Edna, you may want to focus more on _your_ job. If you wish to keep it."

_And _not_ talk about things you don't understand_, she added silently.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** And this one also has a GIFset to go with it. But it's fine by itself too. As usual the link is on my profile page. Takes place start of 3x07.

**Detail**

* * *

As soon as she walks in she can't help but smile.

He looks up and Sybil is sorry for interrupting the moment between father and child. Without speaking, she sits.

Tom smiles and looks back down with such love it takes her breath away.

"We'll be alright, won't we?" he asks softly and she knows he's thinking of his exile, her family's continued disapproval, their homelessness.

It's been hard, truly, but sitting here now, with her small, beautiful little family, she knows he was right, years ago, in the garage.

"I love you," she tells him, "the rest is detail."


End file.
